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21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT — A lifelong Republican in the Saratoga Springs area is stepping up in a longshot bid to unseat a GOP titan.
Political newcomer Jill Lochner recently announced a primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Saratoga, who overwhelmingly carried the mostly rural 15-county 21st Congressional District by more than 53,571 votes in November.
“I am running for Congress because I can no longer sit back and accept the conspiracy theories, bigotry, and hateful ideologies that dominate the news,” Lochner said on her website. “This is not what the people want.”
Lochner launched a political action committee in mid-February, Federal Election Commission records show. The challenger hasn’t responded to a request for comment. The general election is still 20 months away and the primary isn’t expected until 2024.
The political neophyte is originally from Oswego County and spent the early half of her career working across the state. Lochner, who was married in 2009, has four children all born within the area.
It’s unclear when she moved to the greater Capital Region.
She supports repealing bail reform, fighting against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s “unconstitutional infringements” against gun owners and reducing regulations impacting farmers — all issues that align with the incumbent. Lochner has dubbed herself “Republican without the extremism” in what appears to be a dig at Stefanik’s self-described “ultra-MAGA” alignment.
When asked by a man on social media why she doesn’t run for the 20th Congressional District currently held by U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, Lochner said that the numbers don’t support it. The longtime Democratic congressman won the district handily last year against Republican Liz Joy.
“Also, my house has been in NY21 for years, until the recent redistricting,” Lochner wrote in a comment. “So really the simple answer to both is –gerrymandering. Also I don’t relate to Albany at all. I relate to the North Country.”
Stefanik held northern Saratoga County from 2015 to 2022, per redistricting. Currently, her district covers the Champlain Valley, the northern Mohawk Valley, a smidge of the eastern Capital Region and all of the Adirondacks and St. Lawrence River Valley.
Within the sizable district, Stefanik has had a number of Republicans mount bids against her in the past, but most have fizzled out before the Republican primary. Democratic challengers have stepped up to the plate consistently, all of whom have been outgunned in voter enrollment and financial support.
As last reported by the FEC on Dec. 31, the third-ranking Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives touts $8,387,674 in contributions, including $7,457,574 in individual donations. She’s spent $10,556,732.
Last year, the congresswoman’s war chest far outmatched moderate Democrat Matt Castelli, who netted $5,866,118 less in contributions in 2022.
Stefanik in an interview last week said that she’s never heard of Lochner.
“I mean, every election cycle there have names that have been floated around,” said Stefanik in Amsterdam. “We continue to earn support, not only overwhelmingly from Republicans, but independents, Conservatives and Democrats as well and I’m focused on continuing to do my job delivering results for this district.”
Tyler A. McNeil can be reached at 518-395-3047 or [email protected]. Follow him on Facebook at Tyler A. McNeil, Daily Gazette or Twitter @TylerAMcNeil.
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